Loy Krathong airfare inflation upsets travellers
Passengers travelling to Chiang Mai for the Loy Krathong festival are advised to check fares and seat availability directly with airlines, as some booking platforms may show much higher prices when seats are running low.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) is warning Bangkok-Chiang Mai travellers with Loy Krathong festival travel plans to double-check airfares directly with airlines. Some booking platforms may display inflated prices when seats are low. The agency is responding to online complaints about unusually high tickets for the festival period of November 23-26.
Demand for travel during this time is higher than usual, and flight schedules have been altered to accommodate lantern release activities in Chiang Mai. This has reduced the number of flights and seats available, especially for flights on November 23-24 and return flights on November 25-26. Several airlines have reported sold-out seats for these dates.
Passengers have shared complaints showing round-trip ticket prices ranging from 18,000 to nearly 30,000 baht, which is significantly higher than the typical off-peak price range of 2,500 to 4,300 baht. The CAAT emphasizes that the high prices are set by ticket agents or online platforms due to limited availability, and not by the airlines themselves.
They advise passengers to verify prices and seat availability with airlines before booking to avoid purchasing unavailable tickets at inflated fares. Passengers should also plan extra travel time and monitor flight schedules closely, as flights may be adjusted for safety during lantern release activities. If passengers face issues or disputes with airlines, they can file complaints through the CAAT's complaint portal.
Written by urgent.news from Bangkok Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
